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Fort White no fluke
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| Fort White High running back Xavier Blake (2) looks for running room, as Montre Cray (10) gets the worst of it from a Newberry High defender in the Indians’ win on Sept. 19. Blake led the Indians to a 9-2 season in 2008. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter |
Indians earned respect with playoff repeat
By BRANDON FINLEY
bfinley@lakecityreporter.com
* Fort White High’s record-setting football season was one of the top three Lake City Reporter sports stories for 2008.
FORT WHITE — After a 4-6 season in 2007 many people didn’t give the Fort White High Indians a chance to make a repeat appearance in the playoffs.
After all, many thought they had backed in the year before by winning two of their four games against district opponents.
Coach Demetric Jackson’s Indians might not have been the most
talented group of
players heading into the 2008 football season, but after a 9-1 regular season many people changed their opinions about that.
That’s what the season was all about for Fort White. The Indians were out looking for respect, and behind running back Xavier Blake and a stellar defense they found it.
Blake was the heart and soul of an Indians squad that wasn’t expected to set a record for school wins, but as the season went on it became clear that as Blake went, so would the Indians.
Perhaps his biggest two games came as Fort White hit the road for a
middle-of-the-season stretch against formerly unbeaten Newberry High Panthers and the Class 4A Middleburg High Broncos.
Blake broke out for 110 yards and led the Indians to a road win against the Panthers, who had a 13-0 streak at home, to send Fort White to 3-0 on the season.
He would one-up that the following week against the Broncos.
The “Miracle in Middleburg” was classic Blake. With 26 seconds remaining and the Indians’ perfect season on the line, Blake broke through a hole created by the
offensive line and
scampered 50 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
“We knew we had to get it, and I saw the opening to the left side, so I made the cutback and took it,” Blake said after the game. “Coach told us going back out not to put our heads down, and my line did their job. I was real proud.”
With Blake consistent throughout the season, a solid passing game behind quarterback Alex Gilmer, and a stout defense to match, the Indians rode out to a 6-0 start of the season before Madison County High came into Arrowhead Stadium.
It may have been the lowest point of the season, but it was also a lesson learned for the Indians as they fought hard through adversity. After the loss, the Indians knew that they would be a stronger team for it.
The Madison loss was motivation for the Indians in preparation for the
season-ending “Battle for the Paddle” as they bounced back to 48-6 and 49-7 victories against Hamilton County High and Taylor County High, respectively, to gear up for the rival Raiders.
The Indians trailed by five points with less than 3 minutes remaining, but Gilmer and Blake provided the spark to get Fort White its school-record ninth win.
Gilmer found star senior receiver Jordan Dewhirst on a 30-yard pass play,
setting up Blake for a
25-yard touchdown run to give the Indians a 27-24
victory in the season finale.
Pensacola Catholic High beat Fort White this year in the playoff opener, 35-7.
Blake finished his final season with 1,444 yards and 20 rushing TDs, but more importantly gave the Indians a reason to believe that making the playoffs wasn’t a random
occurrence; it’s something that they can accomplish every year.
FORT WHITE — After a 4-6 season in 2007 many people didn’t give the Fort White High Indians a chance to make a repeat appearance in the playoffs.
After all, many thought they had backed in the year before by winning two of their four games against district opponents.
Coach Demetric Jackson’s Indians might not have been the most
talented group of
players heading into the 2008 football season, but after a 9-1 regular season many people changed their opinions about that.
That’s what the season was all about for Fort White. The Indians were out looking for respect, and behind running back Xavier Blake and a stellar defense they found it.
Blake was the heart and soul of an Indians squad that wasn’t expected to set a record for school wins, but as the season went on it became clear that as Blake went, so would the Indians.
Perhaps his biggest two games came as Fort White hit the road for a
middle-of-the-season stretch against formerly unbeaten Newberry High Panthers and the Class 4A Middleburg High Broncos.
Blake broke out for 110 yards and led the Indians to a road win against the Panthers, who had a 13-0 streak at home, to send Fort White to 3-0 on the season.
He would one-up that the following week against the Broncos.
The “Miracle in Middleburg” was classic Blake. With 26 seconds remaining and the Indians’ perfect season on the line, Blake broke through a hole created by the
offensive line and
scampered 50 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
“We knew we had to get it, and I saw the opening to the left side, so I made the cutback and took it,” Blake said after the game. “Coach told us going back out not to put our heads down, and my line did their job. I was real proud.”
With Blake consistent throughout the season, a solid passing game behind quarterback Alex Gilmer, and a stout defense to match, the Indians rode out to a 6-0 start of the season before Madison County High came into Arrowhead Stadium.
It may have been the lowest point of the season, but it was also a lesson learned for the Indians as they fought hard through adversity. After the loss, the Indians knew that they would be a stronger team for it.
The Madison loss was motivation for the Indians in preparation for the
season-ending “Battle for the Paddle” as they bounced back to 48-6 and 49-7 victories against Hamilton County High and Taylor County High, respectively, to gear up for the rival Raiders.
The Indians trailed by five points with less than 3 minutes remaining, but Gilmer and Blake provided the spark to get Fort White its school-record ninth win.
Gilmer found star senior receiver Jordan Dewhirst on a 30-yard pass play,
setting up Blake for a
25-yard touchdown run to give the Indians a 27-24
victory in the season finale.
Pensacola Catholic High beat Fort White this year in the playoff opener, 35-7.
Blake finished his final season with 1,444 yards and 20 rushing TDs, but more importantly gave the Indians a reason to believe that making the playoffs wasn’t a random
occurrence; it’s something that they can accomplish every year.
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